Tag: David Harbour

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TV & Streaming Reviews

Stranger Things 4

Netflix, 2022

Following the climactic events of Starcourt Mall, the gang of Hawkins natives who battled the forces of the Upside Down have scattered across the country (and in some cases, the world), content with the knowledge that the threat has been neutralised. When a new threat emerges and a series of mysterious murders rock the town, the remaining Hawkins’ kids band together to uncover the source. Meanwhile in California, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) struggles to adapt to her new life away from Mike (Finn Wolfhard) as Joyce (Winona Ryder) uncovers a series of strange messages that could point to the location of a miraculously alive Hopper (David Harbour).

Rating: 9 out of 10.

Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin & Jamie Campbell Bower

Watch it now on Netflix

Netflix, 2022

Who would have thought that the Duffer Brothers humble little 80’s sci-fi homage would have turned into what Stranger Things is today: a totemic pillar of Netflix’s slate and a juggernaut of a show rivalling hits of recent years like Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad in its wild popularity. Season 4 is the best yet, bursting at the seams in its jumbo-sized penultimate adventure; the most mature the show has been and, despite its wealth of characters and plot lines, the most narratively focused since young Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) first took that unfortunate trip to the Upside Down.

Like Season 3 before it, many years have passed since we last saw the kids from Hawkins, and the opening few episodes quickly establish that beyond their physical appearance, the show has matured with them to tackle larger issues. The threat of the Upside Down has never felt as monumental as it does here. Key culprit to that is Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), who essentially functions as the franchise’s Voldemort and leader of all the Demogorgons and other Upside Down nasties that have plagued our heroes since the very beginning.

Netflix, 2022

Apart from retroactively focusing the diverse cast of, mostly, one note villains in previous instalments, Vecna acts as a nice bridging point between two of the longest running mysteries the show has told: the Upside Down and the mysteries of the facility run by Dr Brenner – ‘Papa’ (Matthew Modine). Answers to both fly thick and fast (no spoilers here), leaving plenty of room to expand in the upcoming final season. It’s smart storytelling that goes beyond the simple pleasures of Vecna’s obvious similarities to one 80’s horror icon Freddy Krueger (including a cameo from Freddy himself, Robert Englund). Stalking his victims in a dream-like fugue state, Vecna torments the children he kills, following them through eerie visions of past traumas and a mysterious dilapidated house. These sequences are unabashedly pulled straight out of a Nightmare on Elm Street film and are all the better for it, with some of the most intense violence the series has ventured into and an excellently eerie soundtrack to the horror.

Whilst Vecna acts as a bridge between the Hawkins and California storylines, the mystery of Hopper feels strangely detached. Revealed in the Season 3 post-credits scene to be a prisoner in a Russian prison, David Harbour is at his finest in the character this time around, with an introspective, soul-bearing performance that really digs into the heart of the character and the trauma that he has overcome. These quieter moments help flesh out the emotional stakes while all the other excitement is going on in the States, but you can’t help but feel removed from the action during these scenes. The adult characters are confined to Russia for nearly the entire season, and whilst its always entertaining, it never feels essential; pulling us away from the far more investing goings-on with everyone else.

Netflix, 2022

Make no mistake, Hawkins is where the real meat of this season is. The mystery of Vecna is inexplicably tied to the town and, as usual, it falls on the motley crew of Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Max (Sadie Sink), Robin (Maya Hawke), Dustin (Gaten Mattarazzo) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) to get to the bottom of it. This time they’re joined by newcomer Eddie Munsen (Joseph Quinn), a heavy metal, D&D playing nerd with a heart of gold who gets caught up in the murder of a fellow student.

Therein lies perhaps the Duffer Brothers greatest strength: in casting and presenting these new characters in such a way that they instantly become beloved fan favourites. Eddie quickly joins the ranks of Dacre Montgomery’s Billy and Sean Astin’s affable Bob through an endearing relationship with Dustin and Mike. He’s essentially a father figure to them, shepherding the gang through the ups and downs of high school with tough love and an unhinged glee. Quinn’s performance is a lot to begin with, but as the season progresses his rough exterior slowly softens to reveal a damaged teen desperate for some agency over his own life. His arc simmers in the background, rather than being a focal showpiece, until a rousing moment of pure badass heavy-metal awesomeness brings it home with emotional heft and a sense of pure, elating fun.

Netflix, 2022

Then there’s Eleven. Largely on her own for the series and forced to relive the traumas of her time spent in the care of Papa, Bobby Brown doesn’t necessarily bring much new to the character here (the script doesn’t exactly allow for it) but is so supremely confident in the role at this point that you know you are in good hands with her regardless of where the narrative goes. It’s nice to see the series round out the contributions of Matthew Modine and Paul Reiser, in a kind of “Magneto and Professor X working together again” situation that adds to the gigantic scope the series is going for; this could very well be the end of Hawkins, and everyone needs to unite to save it.

When these disparate strands come together and the full scope of Stranger Things 4 emerges is when the show truly reveals itself at the top of its game. The conflict has never felt more personal to the inhabitants of Hawkins; they’ve taken big, impactful losses that will surely linger on the show going forward, and it all unites to create a season that feels essential, as if everything that came before was building up to this moment. Sure there’s the usual overabundance of characters that the show can’t possibly give enough time to and the Duffers play with our emotions a little too much (kill Steve and we riot), but as a whole, Season 4 of Stranger Things is the most entertaining, emotional and most importantly rewarding so far. This is event television done right: big, bold and willing to swing for the fences.

9 / 10

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Movie Reviews

Black Widow

Marvel Studios, 2021

It may have taken an extra year for Scarlett Johansson’s long overdue solo film to arrive but if Black Widow proves anything it’s that not even a global pandemic can halt the Marvel machine. From the moment she first appeared in Iron Man 2, Natasha Romanoff became a fan favourite and a pivotal character throughout the franchise, with a shady past before her tenure as an Avenger that was never fully addressed until now. Well, sort of anyway. Black Widow is less of an origin story than it is a placeholder and prequel rolled into one – set between the events of Civil War and Infinity War – that adds a few new layers to the first female Avenger but never enough to fully justify its existence or give Johansson the send-off she deserves.

Of all the stories and fragments of Natasha’s past that we have gleaned from previous movies, what the super spy did following Civil War never seemed high on many people’s list. She returns in Infinity War with Cap and a new hairdo and everyone accepted it without much questioning. That’s the biggest hurdle Cate Shortland’s solo film finds itself needing to overcome. Is this story essential to the character of Black Widow? No, not in any way that makes the previous films anymore impactful. Is it essential to setting up new characters who will carry the franchise forward replacing her? Yes, and for a film audiences have been clamouring for years to see, that feels like a pretty bad reason to make it.

Marvel Studios, 2021

Now a fugitive from General Ross (William Hurt) and the Sokovian Accords she helped establish, Natasha is living off the grid when she is attacked by a mysterious masked assailant, codenamed Taskmaster, in search of a package sent to her by adopted sister Yelena (Florence Pugh). Drawn back into a life she thought she had put behind her, Natasha and Yelena seek out their adoptive father Alexei (David Harbour) – Russia’s own super soldier answer to Captain America – and mother Melina (Rachel Weisz) in an attempt to put an end to the secretive Red Room – the shadowy organisation responsible for the creation of the Black Widow’s – led by mastermind General Dreykov (Ray Winstone).

As far as its standing within the rest of the MCU canon goes, Widow aims for the gritty spy-thriller style of series highlight Captain America: Winter Soldier. For the most part it hits the mark, with some brutal hand-to-hand fight scenes including a stellar first encounter between the estranged sisters, but as was the case for recent MCU series WandaVision (the two projects share writer Jac Schaeffer), the third act devolves into an almost nonsensical explosion-fest without much substance at all or even a final climactic fight scene.

Marvel Studios, 2021

It also brings the film’s biggest problem to the forefront and that is the fact that we know what happens to Natasha in the larger scheme of things. Any tension raised by the possibility of her dying is quickly extinguished by the fact that we know she makes it through. Add to that a third act twist that the film seems to thinks makes the previously silent Taskmaster character into a sympathetic villain (it doesn’t) and you’ve got a film oddly devoid of stakes. A well paced, fun in the moment ride to be sure, but nothing we haven’t seen before or that fleshes out Natasha in any meaningful way.

This should be the perfect time to explore the murky goings-on in Natasha’s past, specifically the horrific atrocities performed on her and all the Black Widow program candidates that have been referenced numerous times in other films. We’re talking about little girls ripped away from any chance at a normal existence and forced to murder people for a living. It’s heavy stuff and the brilliant opening credits sequence makes you believe that this is exactly what we’ll be getting into. But every time we come close to a breakthrough emotional moment; some semblance of catharsis or an even an acknowledgment of the trauma Natasha faced, the film is broadsided by an action sequence; never providing any satisfying conclusion to the questions we all have. One of the most egregious of these problems comes in the form of a horrifically awkward joke about the involuntary hysterectomies the Black Widow subjects suffered. Marvel films have always preferred to hit a joke beat in a story rather than to address the uncomfortable and it usually works, but this particular instance is in very poor taste.

Marvel Studios, 2021

Where the film really succeeds is in the new characters it introduces. Florence Pugh is terrific, easily the best part of the film alongside David Harbour, who really gets to bare her soul as the hard-done-by sister of Natasha. Having grown up believing Natasha was her real sister and not knowing they were part of an undercover mission has deeply affected her, with Romanoff’s sudden return and unwillingness to acknowledge their time together as anything more than a mission pouring salt on the wound. Pugh masterfully demonstrates the pain Yelena is going through, bickering with her sister constantly and making snide remarks about her time with the Avengers. She might be as adept at Natasha in her fighting skills, but in burying her emotions she is not so well equipped. Pugh also carries the film’s comedy well, with a fun little running joke about Natasha’s superhero poses sure to please longtime fans of the character.

David Harbour’s Alexei, AKA Red Guardian – the Russian counterpart to Captain America – is a riot, quite literally at times, tearing through enemies with a wicked temper and sense of humour. Harbour’s performance is all scenery-chewing Russian stereotype in the most fun way, swigging Vodka as he tells his war stories in a hilariously thick accent and he is clearly relishing the chance to play this insanely over-the-top character; a far cry from Stranger Things’ Hopper. There is more to Alexei than meets the eye, namely a deep sense of insecurity and failure buried under mountains of fake stories of combat with Captain America and despite only having met him and Yelena in this film, the emotional beats hit surprisingly hard.

Marvel Studios, 2021

Both characters are written in a way that ensures they instantly fold into the MCU’s blend of comedy and action hero bravado, as if we’ve known them for years. The post-credits scene sours this a little (no spoilers) as the pieces begin to click and you realise that the movie seems to have only been made as a launchpad for these new characters to take on a bigger role going forward. While the MCU has a long history of doing this it doesn’t change the fact that this is a film that fans have long clamoured for, and to only make it as a way of furthering the franchise whilst pretending it is some loving ode to the character of Black Widow isn’t the best look. Sure it fills in a few gaps in the franchises history, and fans of the original Avengers film will be pleased to learn more about the infamous Budapest mission, but Black Widow had a perfect, emotional send-off in Engdame and to trot her back out now without a purpose almost seems disrespectful to Scarlet Johansson and the work she did establishing this iconic franchise.

Whilst it packs all the humour and action that fans of the MCU have come to expect and love, Black Widow ultimately feels a bit disposable; a throwaway story that would have worked much better if it had actually been released chronologically following Civil War, fleshing out the character before her final appearances and adding more weight to those scenes. Still it is fun to see Scarlett Johansson return to her iconic role and the additions of Florence Pugh and David Harbour to the MCU are two huge wins; yet another example of the exciting, talented actors Marvel continues to win over, that promise to be a breath of fresh air going forward. As for Natasha Romanoff, that red ledger has finally been wiped clean.

Marvel Studios, 2021

Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Olga Kurylenko & Ray Winstone – In cinemas now and streaming on Disney+ with Premier Access.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

7/10

Categories
Movie Reviews

Extraction

Netflix, 2020

Chris Hemsworth isn’t unfamiliar with action. As Thor he has seen his fair share of it. However it has never been as brutal as in his new Netflix film Extraction, which sees Hemsworth re-grouping with many members of the Avengers team, including veteran stunt coordinator Sam Hargrave – who makes his directorial debut here – and Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo, who pens the script. Hargrave’s experience in Hollywood as a stuntman and stunt director on countless films is the film’s biggest strength here, outside of the popularity and likability of Hemsworth. The focus is really on the action and in that regard, it absolutely delivers, bringing intense, extremely well-shot destruction and hand-to-hand combat to the screen. Outside of that however, Extraction doesn’t have much else to offer from a narrative and character development perspective, relying on its extremely swift pace and endless madness to propel you through its 2 hour run-time. It’s a case of what you see is what you get, and if you’re in the mood for a good action flick that’ll keep you entertained, then look no further.

Extraction‘s relatively straightforward story follows Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth), a mercenary for hire with a troubled personal history and a pretty heavy drinking problem to boot. When a job comes his way to rescue Ovi (Rudhraksh Jaiswal), the son of an international drug kingpin in Dhaka, Tyler agrees, thinking it will be a stock standard procedure and a welcome distraction from his painful existence. Tyler’s world is quickly thrown upside down when he realises the importance of Ovi in an ongoing turf war between rival gangs in Bangladesh and Mumbai – including the terminator-like presence of Ovi’s former bodyguard Saju (Randeep Hooda) – testing his ability to trust those around him as he attempts to get Ovi to safety, leaving a path of destruction in Dhaka as he goes.

Netflix, 2020

Let’s address the elephant in the room here: Extraction doesn’t have much depth to it. The story isn’t groundbreaking or particularly well done. It’s serviceable and given a welcome shot in the arm by the presence of Hemsworth. The man just oozes charisma and is a foreboding and charismatic presence, believably mowing down hordes of goons in his path to salvation, and I could watch him as this character for hours. It’s such a tonal shift from the character of Thor, less boisterous and jokey and more stoic and reserved. When things do hit the fan, Hemsworth goes into overdrive; a caged beast set free as his survival instincts kick in and the bodies pile up. There’s tremendous amounts of physicality to the performance and from reports of behind the scenes the film was much more taxing than any of his previous work, with Hemsworth performing a lot of the stunts himself (more on those later). The backstory to Tyler Rake, however, is about as bare bones and clichéd for an action hero as you can get, giving you just enough to feel for the man but not enough for you to really understand how he has processed the tragedy and channels it into his work.

Besides the brief flashes of Tyler’s history, that’s pretty much it in terms of backstory or development for the characters in the film. Stranger Things star David Harbour makes an appearance as an old friend (and co-worker of sorts) of Tyler’s who tries to assist him but who may also have his own motives. Harbour tries with what he is given – which admittedly isn’t much – but his presence and performance ultimately ends in a clichéd, forgettable footnote lost in the shuffle of the far superior, and thankfully more frequent, action scenes. Arguably the character who should have been given the most development besides Tyler is Ovi ,who spends almost the entire film attached to Tyler’s hip but who never really makes much of an impact other than an annoying whiny presence that distracts from the action at the worst of times and fades into the background at the best. There’s no attempt to dig into how Ovi deals with being the son of an international criminal or even if he is aware of his father’s business, with the story reducing the character to a series of visual tics meant to denote his fear and his eventual overcoming of them. It seems like a missed opportunity given the obvious potential for a more “buddy-cop” like relationship which could have brought some levity to the otherwise gritty proceedings.

Netflix, 2020

No, what you come to and stick with Extraction for is the action, and boy does it fire on all cylinders, with Hargrave emptying his bag of tricks that he has accumulated over the years to create some of the most jaw-dropping, intense and realistic fight scenes in recent memory. Hargrave is obviously incredibly comfortable behind the camera, with long fluid shots that really allow you to see and appreciate the incredible stunt work in all its glory. There are no quick cuts here to simulate intensity; rather the intensity is brought through the expertise of the choreography, some of which is impressive in its length, with blurringly fast hand-to-hand fight scenes often going on for several minutes at a time. Of particular note is a 12 minute-long simulated “one-shot” scene, which follows Hemsworth as he weaves a car through the crowded streets away from the pursuing police, through to a high speed foot chase through a crowded apartment complex, encountering multiple adversaries along the way. It’s awe-inspiring stuff, and the behind the scenes videos of how they shot it are almost as impressive to watch as the scene itself. Hemsworth is present through almost this entire scene, performing most of the stunts himself, which makes it all the more immersive as he exhibits some serious gun-fighting and martial arts skills that would give John Wick a run for his money.

Extraction isn’t going to change the game for the action genre when it comes to story or character development, relying on many tried and tested clichés to get you through to the next action scene. The film really does shine when these scenes do hit, with Sam Hargrave showing a real aptitude for constructing intense, incredibly well-shot action scenes which keep you locked in and on the edge of your seat. Hemsworth does a lot of the heavy lifting, both physically in these scenes and story-wise, as he anchors the film and provides a charismatic leading man that the audience will follow. If you are interested in seeing some of the best action scenes put to film in recent memory or are just after an exciting flick to pass the time in quarantine, you can’t do much better than Extraction.

Netflix, 2020

Extraction stars Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda & David Harbour – Streaming on Netflix now.

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TV & Streaming Reviews

Stranger Things – Season 3

Netflix, 2019

Television’s pop culture icon Stranger Things has just launched its third chapter into the world – to understandably high expectations – following the brilliant sci-fi adventures of season one and season two. We’ve followed our favourite characters through all the drama that’s come their way, and so we were all eagerly awaiting what the next instalment would bring to the table. Stranger Things Season Three succeeds in giving us all that we’ve come to love and expect from the series: brilliant interactions between its many characters, flashy 80’s nostalgia, horrifying demons and unapologetic nerdiness. Despite this however, the latest season doesn’t quite meet the impossibly high mark set by its predecessors, due mainly to some broad narrative decisions and a complicated plot that results in quite possibly the strangest season yet.

Note: While we don’t delve too deep into the finer plot details, we will be discussing key characters and high-level developments. If you’re looking to go into the season completely unaware, make sure you watch it first before reading on.

First things first, season three is intense. With a much darker and horror-focused run of episodes than ever before, this season doesn’t hold back when it comes to violence and gore. While the series has a history of some pretty hostile encounters (such as the finale of season one or the Demodogs of Hawkins’ Lab in season two), expect to see much more blood, beatings and death throughout this one. Horror has always been a key aspect of Stranger Things – the previous seasons were filled with slow-burn, high tension scares – but this time around the horror is far more in-your-face. In keeping with the 80’s charm of films like Nightmare on Elm Street and The Terminator, you’ll find the scares delivered through some nasty looking monsters and relentless chase scenes that aim to keep you on the edge of your seat. This is a refreshing direction for the series as a whole to take, proving that the show is evolving and maturing along with its characters and time period. Our leads are no longer kids playing board games in the basement and we’ve watched as they’ve all grown despite the dangers of the Upside-Down, so it only makes sense that the villains have grown bigger and more sinister as a result.

Netflix, 2019

Speaking of growth, Stranger Things‘ fantastic young cast have come a long way since we last saw them. Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Max (Sadie Sink) are all firmly in their teens now, and this brings with it a number of changes to the group’s dynamic. Mike and Eleven are continuing where they left off at the close of season two, with their relationship and its effect on those around them being a constant theme throughout the season. Both young actors turn in another set of great performances this time around, with Millie Bobby Brown again delivering another stand-out performance as the complex Eleven. Like Dustin and Steve (Joe Keery) last season, we get a great new pairing between Max and Eleven as the two girls form a strong duo in what was originally an all-boys club.

With even Dustin managing to (apparently) find love while away on summer camp, this all leaves Will feeling isolated and separated from the core group – even more than usual. Schnapp’s character has less of a central role here compared to prior seasons, however he still does great work in showing the audience just how far the group has come while simultaneously longing to gain back the time he’s lost to the Upside-Down. Season three goes hard on the aspect of growing up and moving on, so it makes sense that each of the kids begin forging their own paths – ultimately weakening the tight-knit brotherhood we’ve come to know and love in the process.

Our other Hawkins favourites have also been busy during the break, with some faring better than others. Joyce (Winona Ryder) continues to mourn her loss from the most recent Hawkins’ disaster, managing to keep her mind occupied by looking into some strange occurrences around town during the summer. Ryder is an absolute gem here as always, and is able to deliver some powerful scenes which really highlight her growth over the course of the show. While she does play the curious, conspiracy-theorising single mother well, her character spends a large portion of the season following some highly questionable breadcrumbs and jumping to conclusions that seem far-fetched, even by her standards. While this has been done to keep the plot moving and give her something to do, it’s hard not to notice that Joyce has very little stakes in the game this time around. Without any real motive or genuine urgency, her story arc can almost feel a bit watered-down at times.

Police Chief Hopper (David Harbour) is again along for Joyce’s ride, if only as an excuse to spend more time with his not-so-secret crush. Harbour reprises his role as the iron fist of Hawkins, playing him harder and more aggravated than usual this season, and he spends most of his time taking the law into his own hands and knocking some heads together. Even though he plays something of a brute for majority of the show, Hop does get a chance to show some raw emotion in the scenes he shares with Joyce and his adoptive daughter Eleven. It’s a good thing that both Harbour and Ryder continue to have such great chemistry, as their charm is what carries us through some of the more far-reaching sections of the plot.

Netflix, 2019

While his mother is off with Hopper, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) begins interning at the town’s local newspaper – the Hawkins Post – alongside his now-official girlfriend Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer). Dyer’s character struggles to make a good impression in the male dominated workplace, and this drives an interesting arc for her and Jonathan as they aim to break a big story that will put her critics in their place. It’s all well and good until their plot-line is completely tossed aside when something bigger comes along, and is never spoken of again.

Similarly, Nancy’s mother Karen (Cara Buono) is given much more to do at the start of the season than ever before, looking set to lift her character into a more prominent role alongside the other leading names. However her storyline is also left by the wayside before too long, and her very minimal appearances later in the season have her revert to the oblivious housewife she played in season one. While these characters are still fantastic and a joy to watch throughout, their individual story arcs highlight the general plot issues with this season. While the show has previously managed to organically link the narrative threads of its characters neatly in time for the finale, season three appears happy to cut ties with loose ends in order to hit certain story beats for the central and, quite frankly, farfetched plot-line.

Without spoiling too much, Stranger Things Season Three plays heavily on the 80’s hysteria of the threat of Russian invasion. The show attempts to shake things up by moving away from the usual US government conspiracies, however in doing so it loses much of its plausibility and logic. Whilst a fictional sci-fi adventure riddled with psychic powers, alternate dimensions and nightmarish monsters doesn’t exactly scream believability, Stranger Things has always been grounded when it came to actually delivering these stories. However the Russian angle is never really explained at all, and what the audience is expected to believe has been done by the foreigners in the space of a year is pretty outrageous.

Thankfully the majority of scenes on this side of the plot are carried by the brilliant ongoing pairing of Dustin and Steve, along with a couple of new companions. Steve has recently started working in an ice-cream store in Hawkins’ new Starcourt Mall, alongside former classmate Robin (Maya Hawke). Hawke is a great new addition to the cast, and she plays another strong, smart and layered character that has great chemistry with Keery and Matarazzo. Rounding out this group in season three is the left-field addition of Erica (Priah Ferguson), Lucas’ wildly outspoken younger sister who briefly appeared in previous seasons to spit fire on her brother and his friends. The young Ferguson is great in her role as the no-nonsense character who knows exactly what she wants, and the group of four are more than enough to keep each episode afloat – even when they’re dealing with what may just be the most bumbling and useless military unit we’ve ever seen.

Netflix, 2019

Rounding out the cast of season three is Dacre Montgomery, who returns as Max’s step-brother Billy Hargrove, easily receiving the most development of any of the show’s characters this year. Having relatively minimal screen-time, yet an important role in season two, he becomes centre to many of this season’s events and a person of interest for most of the cast. Montgomery does excellent work in bringing the conflicted Billy to life once again – especially when he’s conveying the fluctuating emotions and actions that his role demands. We’re shown quite a bit more of the troubled character’s motives through some haunting interactions with Eleven, as well as through his relationship with step-sister Max, which has been greatly expanded following season two.

It’s also around Billy that we see much of the show’s phenomenal special effects work and monster designs, with the growing budget and resources being put to good use here. The creatures on show look like modern day adaptations of the ugliest monstrosities from 1982’s The Thing, and the grand finale is just as flashy and explosive as we’ve all come to expect. In ending the season with such a bang – as well as with some reflective and touching closing moments – season three does come some way in redeeming its fairly average central plot, and it helps to remind us that Stranger Things is first and foremost about its brilliant characters, their complex relationships and the bonds that tie them all together.

The third instalment of Stranger Things is ultimately another wild ride with our favourite Hawkins characters, weaving a compelling sci-fi tale while revelling in 80’s nostalgia and monster movie madness. While areas of the plot certainly require some grand leaps of imagination and logic, the darker tone and ongoing relationships between the talented cast have made the Duffer Brother’s latest outing a success. It’s almost certain that we’ll see a fourth chapter in the Stranger Things story, and at this point all we can do is wait and see where the next one will take us. With an ensemble of characters larger than ever before and a willingness to take the series to dark new places, Stranger Things Season Three has proven that it’s not afraid to challenge our expectations – and that it’s still the toughest kid on the block.

Netflix, 2019

Stranger Things Season Three stars Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Dacre Montgomery, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton – streaming now on Netflix.

Categories
TV & Streaming Reviews

Stranger Things – Season 2

Netflix, 2017

The second season of Stranger Things had some high expectations leading up to its release. Following the runaway success of the first season was always going to be a challenge, but the young cast and the Duffer Brothers managed to pull off another home run on their second outing. In reaching the seemingly impossible heights set by its predecessor, Stranger Things Season Two provides another chapter of one of the finest and well written sci-fi offerings on TV. So with the hotly anticipated third season releasing in time for this weekend, there’s never been a better time to make sure you’re all caught up on everything that’s gone down in Hawkins.

Series two begins a year after the conclusion of the last, with everyone adjusting to normal life again after their chaotic search for Will Byers (Noah Schnapp). The four leading lads have returned to school, however it’s quickly obvious that things aren’t quite the same. Mike (Finn Wolfhard) is still struggling to move on after losing his psychic companion Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who hasn’t been seen since the closing battle of Season One. The friction this creates between him and the other characters is an underlying theme for most episodes of this season, especially as it seems his friends were able to move on much quicker than he has been able to. His combative nature and defeated attitude does tend to wear a bit over time, however Mike isn’t as central this time as he was in the opening season – allowing the fantastic supporting cast a chance to shine as well. For instance, Will picks up a much larger amount of screentime this time around, given he played a lost victim for just about all of the show’s first outing. His transition back into normal life is certainly the hardest, as he tries to slip back into a community that pronounced him dead not too long ago. Will also suffers from intense flashbacks and dark visions of the Upside-Down – a consequence of his time lost on the other side. Noah Schnapp’s character certainly gets put through the ringer this season, however his great performance and full range of believable emotion is just another example of the top-level talent within Stranger Things’ young cast.

Netflix, 2017

That’s not to say that the more experienced actors are lacking here though. Winona Ryder reprises her role as Will’s mother Joyce Byers, somehow hitting a new level of protective parenting after the events of season one. While her actions can come off as pretty overbearing at times, you can’t help but feel as if it’s warranted after all she went through to get her son back a year prior. To this end, Joyce and Will continue to make visits to the Hawkins’ Lab in order to monitor his condition – and to keep the lab central to the overall plot running through this second season. Balancing Joyce’s stress out slightly is her old classmate and new lover – the ever-pleasant Bob (Sean Astin). Astin’s character is almost an antithesis to the entire show, shying away from scares and Hawkins’ rough nature to instead be the calm and placid rock Joyce desperately needs. It makes sense then that Joyce continues to rely on the gritty and no-nonsense police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) to help her and her son for much of the season. Harbour puts on another stellar performance as he did in the show’s first outing, given some great scenes to flex his acting and emotional chops. Season two places Eleven in Hopper’s care, with Jim quickly becoming a surrogate parent to the wayward teen – seeing in her the daughter he’d lost years ago. Hopper attempts to give Eleven a normal childhood whilst being acutely aware the danger she in at all times while Eleven, for her part, is trying her best to slip into everyday life which, naturally for a teenager, includes some pushback against the authority figure. It’s this kind of innately human everyday situation, spiced with a healthy dose of government conspiracy and mental powers that makes the dynamic between the two so fantastic and infinitely watchable, and the duo represents just one of the second season’s unlikely – yet hugely successful – character pairings.

It’s impossible to talk about this season’s teamups without mentioning the dynamic duo that is Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery). Having next to nothing to do with each other in the previous year, the two certainly aren’t the first characters that audiences were expecting to see pairing up this season – but the two just work. There’s some sort of younger/older brother vibe that the duo tap into, with Keery’s character acting as a mentor to the younger Dustin – when the two aren’t trading insults and banter at every other opportunity. When he’s not parading around Hawkins with his charismatic offsider, Steve acts as one third of the ongoing love triangle between himself, Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). Dyer and Heaton offer up another great turn as their respective characters, torn between their feelings for each other, the plights of their younger siblings and Nancy’s mission to avenge the death of a friend lost during season one. A strength of this season is certainly the increased screentime it allows for these characters, shifting focus from the core young cast to create a number of intertwining and interesting stories that stand strong in their own right.

Netflix, 2017

This broader approach also opened the doors for some new characters to shake things up this season – namely red-headed skater Max (Sadie Sink) and her older step-brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery). The two enter the scene after moving with their newly married parents from California, and both have big impacts on the characters and events across the season. Max quickly catches the interest of Dustin and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) with her high arcade scores and fierce attitude, creating some competition between the two boys as they do their best to catch her attention. Her attempt to slide into the core group creates tension between the existing members, which in turn provides for some dramatic confrontations and fractures within the team alongside their bigger problems. Max’s initial stand-offish nature comes back to her tenuous relationship with new step-brother Billy Hargrove. Billy is a few years older than Max, and quickly begins a move to knock Steve off of his perch as alpha at Hawkins’ High. Australian actor Dacre Montgomery does fantastic work as this complex character, capturing all the worst archetypes of young guys in the 80’s as his womanising, racist and narcissistic personality clashes with just about everyone he meets. A character that you’ll just love to hate, Billy’s behavior is explored a little during the later episodes of the season – not long before a standout scene between him and Mrs. Wheeler (Cara Buono) in the final episode.

It’s strength to strength for the most part on the road to the terrific finale, however there is one episode that is particularly divisive. During the second half of season two, an entire episode is devoted to Eleven and her past – with mixed results. While an interesting look at her powers, family and mysterious history, the way that the show presents these isn’t done particularly well. Introducing a number of new characters solely for the episode, it feels like a big mix of ideas that don’t quite gel together or produce anything noteworthy. We’re presented with a group of generic punks, each feeling like they were pulled from an afternoon cartoon show, led by a slightly unhinged girl that has powers similar to Eleven. A connection between the two is clumsily put together through flashbacks, despite there being no other reason for the new girl and her group to exist at all. While the episode is somewhat necessary for Eleven to grow as a character and develop her powers, it feels as though it could have been done in multiple better ways that wouldn’t have felt so out of place. Luckily the episode comes and goes before the main plot ramps up into the finale, however it still creates a bit of a speedbump for an otherwise fantastic run of episodes.

Netflix, 2017

Outside of this, the road to the finale follows a similar path as the first season – reuniting our favourite characters for some great battles and emotional scenes. There’s a sense of urgency that runs beneath each episode, hooking you into every interaction as just about every scene plays a part in the grander scheme of things. This is achieved once again through two of the Duffer Brother’s biggest strengths – strong writing and smart characters. No matter how difficult the puzzle or complex the solution, characters always connect the dots as quickly and as logically as we would expect them to. There are never moments where someone inexplicably sits on key information just to stretch out the runtime, with the cast often developing a plan or solution that we as viewers had yet to even consider. This approach means that we’re constantly surprised and excited for the next moment, a design that’s perfect for the show’s bingeable Netflix design.

Stranger Things Season Two manages to raise the standards raised by the first, and in doing so it manages to create new, interesting characters and engrossing plotlines that flesh out Hawkins as its own little world. An outstanding cast and top-quality direction from behind the scenes come together to deliver several hours of gripping sci-fi drama, cementing the series as one of the greatest on modern TV. We don’t have long to wait until season three arrives to pull us through the Upside Down once more, and who knows what they’ll spring on us this time. New monsters? More characters? Joyce’s third attempt at some offbeat interior decorating? We don’t know yet, but if the past adventures in Hawkins are anything to go by – we’re in for something good.

Netflix, 2017

Stranger Things Season Two stars Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton and David Harbour – streaming now on Netflix.

Categories
TV & Streaming Reviews

Stranger Things – Season 1

Netflix, 2016

Few could have imagined the worldwide pop-culture phenomenon Netflix’s original series Stranger Things turned out to be. The Duffer Brother’s unassuming Spielberg-like series set in the small town of Hawkins, Indiana struck a chord with viewers due to its endearing everyday characters, intriguing central mystery and retro 80’s setting and was one of the streaming giant’s first smash hits – a certifiable television event. Featuring an ensemble cast led by a career resurrecting performance from Winona Ryder, the show made household names of David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown who have both gone on to feature in some of the biggest blockbusters in recent memory. So with the third season of the hit series set to arrive on Netflix soon, it’s time to return to the Upside-Down and talk about just what makes this series so great.

The series centres around four school friends living in Hawkins: Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Will (Noah Schnapp) – typical nerds, for the time, who spend their time in an AV club and playing Dungeons and Dragons. Hawkins is a town with a lot of history and connections, so when Will suddenly disappears the town is left reeling, none more so than Will’s mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) and brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), who team up with police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) to solve the case and get Will back. The ensuing search for Will creates more for the boys to contend with as they stumble upon Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), a mysterious girl with a shaved head and a unique set of abilities, who unwittingly involves them in a dangerous game with a shadowy government organisation who may or may not have something to do with Will’s disappearance. Meanwhile, Mike’s sister Nancy (Natalia Dyer) is dealing with a similar situation with the sudden disappearance of her friend Barb (Shannon Purser), compounded by the stress of a new relationship with the most 80’s named school jock ever, Steve Harrington (Joe Keery). All these character’s paths eventually converge on a collision course to the Upside-Down, a shadowy realm hidden within ours; a kind of parallel universe where Will finds himself being stalked by an evil creature, dubbed by his friends as the Demogorgon. With the government hot on their tails, the kids and their families must band together with the help of Eleven to rescue Will and save Hawkins from being opened up to the creatures of the Upside-Down.

Netflix, 2016

What makes Stranger Things so addictive and enjoyable to watch is the way every character and storyline is balanced. Each main storyline is so fleshed out that it’s almost impossible to not find something to like about a particular arc. Whether that be the intriguing Goonies-type interplay between the kids, the descent into madness that Joyce embarks on as she gets more and more desperate to find her son, or just some good old fashioned high-school drama with the Nancy/Steve/Jonathan love triangle. Whilst it may not seem like high school dating drama would have anything to do with the overarching plot of Will’s disappearance and Eleven’s powers, the show is developed so that every detail factors into this central mystery. Every character gets their moment to shine meaning audiences can invest in whoever they most relate to or find entertaining – they’ll surely be pleased by the payoff of that characters big moment. This broad appeal definitely helped the show become such a cross-cultural hit; despite its rating (the show isn’t technically for kids but we all know they watch), it manages to appeal to almost every major demographic.

Another, and perhaps the most recognisable, part of the charm of Stranger Things is the nostalgia. From the clothes and hairstyles to the classic rock soundtrack and synth-heavy score, the show oozes with early 80’s charm, another layer to the story that puts it in something of a bubble: a modern sci-fi horror story told through an old school lens. It comes as no surprise then, that in a show filled to the brim with retro film, music and pop culture references that the creators, the Duffer Bros have paid tribute to perhaps the greatest filmmaker of the decade: Steven Spielberg. The show pays homage to a number of the iconic filmmaker’s movies and combines them in a manner that feels familiar without beating you over the head with it. The connection Mike and to a lesser extent, his friends, develop towards Eleven is akin to Elliot and his siblings connection to the friendly alien in E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Where ET was able to make bicycles fly, Eleven is capable of launching vans over bicycles as they ride by and murdering a room full of soldiers with her thoughts. Similarly, the lights hung by Joyce which act as an improvised ouija board to contact Will is a play on the musical tones used by the aliens in Close Encounters of the Third Kind to communicate with mankind. Where those tones signalled the aliens’ peaceful intentions however, the lights are used to a more sinister effect, a warning about the impending horrors to be unleashed on Hawkins. It’s these familiar beats that draw us in as viewers and the dark, killer twists on them that sink their hooks into us and capture our attention.

Netflix, 2016

Hooking the viewer in with nostalgia alone is not enough to make a cohesive show and the Duffer Bros have wisely recognised this on a narrative level as well as on the technical side of things. The series is shot wonderfully, the intimate moments captured up close and personal, with longer takes where necessary to give us the full effect of the actors performance. One shot in particular comes to mind of Joyce clutching the bundle of christmas lights which Will has contacted her through for the first time. The camera slowly pulls back from Ryder’s face buried in the lights as we see her sob silently and more of the house is revealed. It’s a subtle device that makes the audience feel like the scene is still moving whilst we are transfixed on Joyce; it’s not that we’re expecting some big event to happen and in fact nothing monumental to the story is happening at all, but it’s an important moment for the character of Joyce, one that really makes the audience empathetic and puts us on her side for the rest of the series. On the flip side, the action heavy scenes are handled in their own unique way; often relying on flickering lights or scenes shot at night to hide some of the pretty terrible visual effects on the Demogorgon. It’s a smart choice that, when combined with the eery synth laden music really adds to the atmosphere of the scene; tying in with the Upside-Down’s distinct visual style: a nightmarish mirror image of Hawkins in perpetual night, where frost and slime reminiscent of the Alien films covers everything.

The true strength of Stranger Things is in its cast and without this group of actors there is no doubt that the series would have been a different beast altogether. Everyone is pitch perfect, each playing something of an 80’s archetype with a twist; there’s the alcoholic police chief with a troubled past, the school jock suffering from an identity crisis, and the young girl with telekinetic powers who has spent her life locked up in a government facility forced to kill mice with her mind – ok maybe that last one isn’t your conventional 80’s character. Winona Ryder is the standout of the ensemble and the emotional heart of the show. Her drive to find her son and unshakeable belief that he is still alive provides some truly heart-wrenching scenes as her desperation increases. Ryder perfectly encapsulates the heartache and panic of a mother separated from her son; the scene in which she communicates with Will through a set of Christmas lights allows her to show a remarkable range as she cycles through desperation, overwhelming joy and sheer terror all within a few minutes. David Harbour shines as Chief Hopper, something of a slow burn of a character, who the audience unravels more and more each episode. Whilst he starts the series as an aggressive, somewhat jaded man who clearly has experienced some trauma, his connection to Joyce’s struggle begins to tear away at this hard exterior and allows for Harbour to deliver a very nuanced performance building towards an emotional breakdown in the final episode; in which Hopper’s backstory is revealed and the reason for his personal interest in Joyce’s situation is uncovered.

Netflix, 2016

Not to be outdone, the younger portion of the cast delivers stellar performances across the board. The trio of Mike, Dustin and Caleb in particular have a difficult task in that they represent the audiences introduction to this wider world of monsters and powers and are the only characters that really have a complete picture of everything going on. Wolfhard leads the charge here, given the most to work with in the sense of the overarching plot, his relationship with Eleven becomes key to empathising with both characters. The somewhat imbalanced parallel of Mike learning to talk to a girl whilst Eleven learns about life outside the government facility is played for laughs at times, but each is significant for the individual and the series perfectly captures the feeling of discovery and frustration children experience when change forces them to grow up. Matarazzo plays the somewhat stereotypical “funny kid”, given free reign over majority of the comedy and he absolutely excels, with a charm and comedic sensibility not often seen in child actors. Whilst not a major part of the plot, he has some quality moments and offers the respite of a laugh when the story around him gets a little too dark. Without a doubt the breakout star of the series is Millie Bobby Brown, following her terrific turn as Eleven. In what would be a difficult role for even the most competent adult actor, Brown is exceptional as the damaged young girl who must recover from her traumatic past and adapt to the world around her and learn what it means to really be a child. The slow progression of her character is fascinating to watch, with Brown often conveying complex emotions and discoveries with facial expressions alone.

Stranger Things is one of those series that comes along and leaves an indelible mark on television history; a true pop-culture phenomenon and a litmus test for just how high a Neftlix property can soar. The Duffer Bros have crafted a truly compelling mystery wrapped up in 80’s nostalgia filled with excellent characters and performances all working together to form something truly special that audiences around the world have swarmed to. With such critical and audience fanfare, we’re likely to see many more seasons of the hit show beyond the impending season 3, and I for one am willing to spend as much time in the Upside-Down as I can get.

Netflix, 2016

Stranger Things Season One stars Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton and David Harbour – streaming now on Netflix.